Spiral of Ants

The Microphone

Aseil wasn't doing well. Every time Aktal was around, Aseil was growing more and more afraid. He wasn't exactly sure why. Yes, fear of this god who obviously hated him was completely valid, but he didn't understand why the guttural feeling of fear grew every time. Aktal hadn't really done anything to Aseil.

It didn't help that the microphone was showing up more and more. Without Apollo. Before, he would of assumed Apollo just forgot it. After all, this was the first time Apollo really hung around one singular spot consistently. It was only natural he'd leave things behind. But after learning the level of its sentience from Lynn, he didn't buy it.

Lynn was currently living at another follower's home. Being around Apollo and the microphone was stressful enough for the poor professor. The second Aktal got involved one of the first things Aseil did was make sure he had a more safe place to live. It was clear Lynn wasn't out to cause problems anyhow.

Apollo was aware of most of this. On a surface level, at least. Apollo wasn't that happy about Aktals presence as well. He felt bad that he couldn't reconcile with Lynn but understood. The microphone though. Apollo seemed very slow to catch up on the implications of recent information and events.

He seemed convinced that if it was sentient it would have communicated with him by now.

It didn't comfort Aseil. Lynn didn't seem like the particularly deceitful type, there was no reason for him to lie in that story. He was certain the microphone was sentient.

All of these factors together led to Aseil being extremely spread thin and stressed out.

Aseil was currently trying to regain himself after Aktal had left. Apollo wasn't home, which always upset Aktal. Once again he didn't do anything. He just came in, looked annoyed, asked where he was, Aseil informed him he didn't know, and the irritable god left. Why was Aseils heart pounding in his ears? Why did he feel like he had just fallen off a cliff?

"He's been killing you, you know that?" A voice came behind him. A voice he didn't recognize. Aseil almost jumped out of his skin in fear as he whipped around.

Standing there was a man, that had a lot of Apollos attributes and yet was completely different. His vest was the same colors but was a real vest, not a sweater vest like Apollos. It held a diamond pattern, much like Apollo's microphone. He had Apollo's markings as well, but the eye was on his throat, not his forehead. And the tendrils crept up his neck, not down his arms. His hair, shape, and build were also all different from Apollo's.

"Who are you?" Aseil demanded.

The man stared at Aseil for a long moment, as if studying him. Until he finally answered "Apollo, Technically"

"You are not Apollo" Aseil said quickly "I think I can recognize my boyfriend"

"Of course. I am not your Apollo. My... our attempt to come here was clumsy at best, as you already know. We wern't successful in translating ourselves into a simple mortal form. Hence my existence. The excess"

"The microphone" Aseil managed out. Almost too quiet to hear.

"That is what you know me as, yes"

Aseil leaned back on his table, feeling like his legs may give way at any moment. He tried to hide it from Apollo but the microphone had unnerved him for a while now. What it could do to people. It was fine when he had assumed Apollo was the only one who could wield it. It was not nearly as fine when he realized it could act on its own. And this was not helping his fear.

"This is a lot" he finally managed to say.

"My apologies," The man said. His stare felt blank. Unwavering. Almost robotic. Aseil wished he would stop looking at him

"What are you doing here? I mean you've been popping up a lot recently but not like this"

"Yes, this is my first time doing something like this. My goal is not to offend, however, I must say you've been quite dense to any other form of communication I've been attempting. I have to resort to things I've never done"

"What are you talking about?" Aseil demanded. The man's cryptic wording was not helping his mental state.

"My apologies. I am not explaining myself right. Allow me to restart, Aktal has been killing you", he explained, his tone never betraying any hint of emotion.

"Now you're just talking crazy. How could he be killing me? I'm right here and fine"